Everything You Need To Know About Brain Health

The human brain controls every other part of your body, from the emotions you feel, to the physical motions of your arms and legs. Your brain is constantly changing, which makes it important to try and understand everything you need to know about brain health early on.

There are different aspects of brain health to consider; the physical side of the brain, which can be affected by cancer, infection, injury, or disease; and the mental side, which can be affected by age, illness, and genetics.

What is Brain Plasticity?

Brain plasticity is the ability of the human brain to change as you age and learn. The knowledge you retain, the brain teasers you master, and everything you know from language to birth dates is all due to brain plasticity. Sometimes connections are broken, or knowledge becomes unnecessary, and your brain manages those changes and continues to form new connections and mend broken ones. Sometimes as you get older, nutrition or sleep time diminishes, or illnesses occur and this plasticity becomes less and less.

By the age of 5, your brain has reached 90% of its adult size and it can retain language, spatial awareness, and other important knowledge. Your brain will continue to grow until you are approximately 18-25 years of age. After this, your brain can begin to shrink due to age, stress, poor sleep patterns, and illness.

Brain Function and Illness:

Understanding everything you need to know about brain health is important because it can encourage you to do things to preserve functionality and prevent illness. Unfortunately, some brain diseases are due to genetics, such as mental illness, some forms of cancer, and even dementia. One of the most common brain disorders is Alzheimer's disease. The symptoms often begin to appear after the age of 60, and start with memory loss, speech cognition, and visual or special awareness issues.

Eventually patients with Alzheimer's will become disoriented, and may forget important people in their lives, could get lost going to a place they were previously familiar with, or take a long time to complete a simple task. The disorder ranges in mild, moderate, or severe symptoms, depending on the stage.

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but advancements in science have made it possible to treat symptoms, and slow down its progression. If you or somebody you know is showing signs of a brain illness, consult with your physician as soon as possible.

Improving Your Brain Health:

It's difficult to understand everything you need to know about brain health, but a good place to get started is with improving your brain now to prevent illnesses later. You can do this by eating a healthy and nutritiously balanced diet, which includes all the necessary vitamins and nutrients your brain requires to function properly. Regular physical exercise will also help your brain by promoting proper blood flow, and heart health. You can also work out your brain with challenging questions, problem solving, puzzles, and games. Finally, be sure to give your body and brain the proper amount of rest it needs to heal, and function throughout the day.

About The Author

The Knowzo Health Team is comprised of experienced medical doctors, nurses, therapists, personal trainers, and other health experts in their respective field. Our professional health team strives to produce quality, engaging content that is educational and understandable to our readers on hundreds of health and wellness topics.